Buckeyes Set 2009-10 Schedule

Published on July 6, 2009 by viratas   ·   No Comments

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A regular-season finale vs. Big Ten Conference rival Iowa and numerous top-notch matches at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio, highlight the Ohio State wrestling team’s 2009-10 schedule.

Of note, the Buckeyes will host seven matches throughout the season, including Lehigh Nov. 20 and the Buckeye Duals vs. Pennsylvania and Ohio Nov. 22 to kick off the 2009-10 home schedule. (The Ohio State football team will be on the road AT Michigan Nov. 21). In 2008-09, Lehigh completed its 100th season of wrestling with a 23-1 record that included a 9-0 mark in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. Penn wrapped up its 2008-09 campaign with a 12-7 record, including an 8-1 record at home. The Quakers owned a 6-3 ledger in the EIWA and compiled a 4-1 Ivy League mark en route to sending six wrestlers to the NCAA championships.

Three weeks later Dec. 13, Ohio State and Edinboro will square off for the third-consecutive season. With both teams even in wins at three a piece from 1985-1997, the Scarlet and Gray have now won three-consecutive matches beginning in 1998. The Fighting Scots finished last season with a 14-4-1 record (5-0-1 in Eastern Wrestling League), won the EWL tournament and finished sixth in the NCAA championships behind three qualifiers.

The Big Ten season kicks off Jan. 24 when the Buckeyes welcome Penn State. The Nittany Lions, who collected their 162nd and 163rd All-Americans at the NCAA championships this spring, will debut first-year head coach Cael Sanderson this upcoming season.

The home schedule continues when Michigan comes to Columbus Feb. 5. The match against the Wolverines is Alumni Night. Michigan finished third in the Big Ten championships and backed by seven qualifiers, placed 11th in the NCAA championships. Two days later Feb. 7, Ohio State and Northwestern will meet in St. John Arena.

The Buckeyes’ home schedule concludes against Michigan State. After a one-year hiatus, the Buckeyes and Spartans will wrestle Feb. 14. 133-pound national and Big Ten champion Franklin Gomez returns to Michigan State for his senior season in 2009-10.

Always looking to get some quality preparation into its schedule, the Buckeye wrestling team will begin its slate with open tournament action at the Oklahoma Gold Nov. 15. The Scarlet and Gray return to the road Dec. 4-5 for its annual trip to Nevada for the Las Vegas Invitational. The Buckeyes were able to secure runner-up finishes from Lance Palmer and Colt Sponseller at 149 and 165 pounds, respectively, last season. The Scarlet and Gray finished 11th (tied) as a team in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Buckeyes open the New Year Jan. 3 at Columbia. Ohio State also will wrestle Hofstra in New York. The following weekend Jan. 9-10, the Scarlet and Gray will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the NWCA Cliff Keen National Duals. This past season, Ohio State finished fifth following a 25-12 win over Minnesota.

Ohio State concludes January in the state of Indiana, where it will wrestle Purdue Jan. 29 in West Lafayette before traveling to Bloomington to take on Indiana Jan. 31. The Hoosiers, who concluded 2008-09 with a 15-7-1 record, will return three-time All-American Angel Escobedo.

The following month the Buckeyes and Illinois will meet Feb. 12. The Illini also will introduce first-year head coach Jim Heffernan. Last season, Illinois qualified nine to the NCAA championships and it recorded its 10th Top 10 finish at nationals under former head coach Mark Johnson.

Ohio State’s regular-season finale will showcase itself in Iowa City against the Hawkeyes. The No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season will battle for bragging rights Feb. 19.

The postseason gets underway March 6-7 with the Big Ten championships. For the second-consecutive season, Penn State will serve as the event’s host. Two weeks later March 18-20, the Buckeyes will travel to Omaha, Neb., for the NCAA championships at the Qwest Center.

November

Sun, Nov. 15
Oklahoma Gold
at SUNY Brockport, All Day

Fri, Nov. 20
LEHIGH
St. John Arena, 7 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 22
BUCKEYE DUALS
St. John Arena, Noon (vs. Penn and Ohio)

December

Fri-Sat, Dec. 4-5
Las Vegas Invitational
Primm, Nev. 9 a.m.

Sun, Dec. 13
EDINBORO
TBA, 2 p.m.

January

Sun, Jan. 3
Columbia/Hofstra
TBA, TBA

Sat-Sun, Jan. 9-10
National Duals
Cedar Falls, Iowa, 9 a.m.

Sun, Jan. 24
PENN STATE
St. John Arena, 2 p.m.

Fri, Jan. 29
Purdue
West Lafayette, Ind., 7 p.m.

Sun, Jan. 31
Indiana
Bloomington, Ind., 2 p.m.

February

Fri, Feb, 5
MICHIGAN (Alumni Night)
St. John Arena, 7 p.m.

Sun, Feb, 7
NORTHWESTERN
TBA, Noon

Fri, Feb, 12
Illinois
Champaign, Ill., 7 p.m.

Sun, Feb. 14
MICHIGAN STATE (Senior Night)
St. John Arena, 2 p.m.

Fri, Feb. 19
Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa, 7 p.m.

March

Sat-Sun, March 6-7
Big Ten Championships
State College, Pa., All Day

Thurs-Sat, March 18-20
NCAA Championships
Omaha, Neb., All Day